Simon's Blog

The concept of Universal Basic Income (UBI) may seem like a modern invention, but its roots stretch back to 1795. At that time, Thomas Paine proposed a “national fund” to pay every adult—rich and poor alike—the sum of £10 annually until the age of 50. Paine argued that the Earth is common property; therefore, anyone "dispossessed by the system of property ownership" is entitled to compensation. This historical perspective is echoed by Dr. Neil Howard, a researcher at the University of Bath. Howard suggests that UBI provides a necessary safety net, agreeing with Paine that the redistribution of privatized resources is inherently just. “The wealth of humanity belongs to all of us,” Howard argues. “It has been appropriated by the few, which leads others to struggle unnecessarily.” In his essay Agrarian Justice, Paine outlined concrete reforms to abolish poverty, including a "Universal Social Insurance System" (USIS) that provided old-age pensions and disability suppor...

For centuries, we have lived under an illusion. We struggle to see through a social construct created long ago regarding the relationship between men and women—a narrative rooted in the teachings of figures like Martin Luther, who claimed "women should stay at home and look after the affairs of the house," and John Calvin, who echoed that a "woman's place is in the home." Most Protestant traditions upheld these restrictions, barring women from leadership. But where did this bias begin, and why do we continue to cling to it? Unsurprisingly, these ideas stem from ancient religious texts and, more importantly, men’s narrow interpretations of them. Traditional interpretations of verses like Genesis 3:16, which suggests a husband shall have "dominion" over his wife, or 1 Timothy 2:12, which commands women to "remain quiet" in church, have codified a specific worldview. Colossians 3:18 further instructs wives to "submit" to their husban...